Toronto: India has asked Canadian authorities that the security of its officials and consular premises is safeguarded after a separatist group threatened a “siege” of the consulate general in Vancouver.

That “siege” was called by the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), targeting the Vancouver consulate for a period of 12 hours on Wednesday. No such protests are believed to have been called in either Ottawa where the Indian High Commission in located or at the consulate general in Toronto.

A senior Indian official said the matter had been “strongly” raised with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the country’s foreign ministry. Directions flow from GAC to relevant authorities responsible for diplomatic security, including local law enforcement. The security has been sought for Indian diplomats, consular officials and premises “which is the obligation of host country under Vienna Conventions”, a senior official said.

The consulate is expected to function “normally” though, the official said, “For the safety of scheduled visitors/applicants, we advise them to re-schedule, which is very unfortunate for them.”

The demonstration has been called on the second anniversary of the day when then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in the House of Commons that there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, three months earlier on June 18, 2023.

India described those accusations as “absurd” and “motivated” and relations between the two countries cratered.

SFJ has claimed that a threat continues against campaigners for the so-called Khalistan Referendum, which Nijjar led. It claimed that Nijjar’s replacement in Canada in this regard, Inderjeet Singh Gosal, has been offered witness protection by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Gosal was among those charged by Canadian police last year after the violent attack on the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton in November 3, 2024.

With the change in Government in Ottawa, the pro-Khalistan movement has diminished influence over the polity, leading to the beginning of a reset between India and Canada, starting with a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the margins of the G7 summit in Kananaskis in June. That has resulted in High Commissioners from both countries arriving at the capitals and they are expected to assume charge in the days ahead.

SFJ has already targeted High Commissioner-designate Dinesh Patnaik, including in a poster announcing the September 18 “siege”. He has already been provided with enhanced security cover by Canada.